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The Great British Baking Show returned to Netflix today with an all-new episode and a brand new host. Yep, once more the tent has suffered a dear loss. Sandi Toksvig left The Great British Baking Show after only three seasons in the tent. She was one of the three new folks to join Paul Hollywood on the show when it emigrated from the BBC to Channel 4. Now a bald British comedian named Matt Lucas has taken her role — but who is Matt Lucas and why does he look so familiar?
The Great British Baking Show — which is just the American name for the UK’s Great British Bake-Off — is an uber-popular cooking competition show that brings together about a dozen of Britain’s best amateur bakers for a sweet competition challenging their skills. Over the years, The Great British Baking Show has even spawned new food stars like Nadiya Hussain and Ruby Tandoh. So it’s a big freaking deal.
Also a big deal? When there’s a shakeup in the tent. The last time The Great British Baking Show shuffled its lineup of hosts, it was all because the show was leaving the BBC for rival station Channel 4. O.G. judge Mary Berry stuck with the famed British broadcaster as did hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc. Replacing them were famed baker Prue Leith and the comedy duo of Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig. Sandi’s shocking departure now sets the stage for a whole new tone for The Great British Baking Show care of Matt Lucas…
WHO IS MATT LUCAS, THE NEW CO-HOST OF THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW?
Matt Lucas is a British comedian and actor who originally shot to fame thanks to the sketch show Little Britain. Lucas is also known for playing Nardole in Doctor Who, Stu in Portlandia, Tweedledee and Tweedledum in the Alice in Wonderland movies, and Thenardier in the British stage version of Les Mis.
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However if you’re not a British comedy nerd, you might actually recognize him as one of Kristen Wiig’s obnoxious roommates in the movie Bridesmaids. (Rebel Wilson was the other one.)
WHY DID SANDI TOKSVIG LEAVE THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW?
Don’t worry! Toksvig wasn’t fired from The Great British Baking Show. She left because she needed more time to work on her numerous other projects, including hosting the hilarious panel show Q.I.
In a statement issued upon word of her departure, Toksvig quipped: “When stepping down from a job it is quite common for people to say they are doing so in order to spend more time with their family. Unusually I am departing from The Great British [Baking Show] so I can spend more time with my other work.”
New episodes of The Great British Baking Show will premiere Fridays on Netflix.
